1. Privacy at a Glance
General Information
The following notes provide a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data refers to all data that can be used to personally identify you. Detailed information on the subject of data protection can be found in our privacy policy listed below this text.
Data Collection on This Website
Who is responsible for data collection on this website?
Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find their contact details in the section “Information about the Responsible Party” in this privacy policy.
How do we collect your data?
On the one hand, your data is collected when you provide it to us. This can be, for example, data that you enter into a contact form.
Other data is collected automatically or after your consent by our IT systems when you visit the website. This primarily includes technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). The collection of this data occurs automatically as soon as you enter this website.
What do we use your data for?
Part of the data is collected to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior. If contracts are concluded or initiated via the website, the transmitted data is also processed for contract offers, orders, or other business inquiries.
What rights do you have regarding your data?
You have the right at any time to obtain free information about the origin, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given your consent to data processing, you may withdraw this consent at any time for the future. In certain circumstances, you also have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data. Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.
If you have any questions about data protection, you can contact us at any time.
Analysis Tools and Third-Party Tools
When visiting this website, your browsing behavior may be statistically evaluated. This is done primarily with so-called analysis programs.
Detailed information about these analytics programs can be found in the following privacy policy.
2. Hosting and Content Delivery Networks (CDN)
We host the content of our website with the following providers:
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
The provider is Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, 38 Avenue John F. Kennedy, 1855 Luxembourg (hereinafter referred to as “AWS”).
When you visit our website, your personal data is processed on AWS servers. Personal data may also be transferred to the parent company of AWS in the USA. The transfer of data to the USA is based on the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
Details can be found here:
https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/security/aws-gdpr-data-processing-addendum/
Further information can be found in the AWS privacy policy:
https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/?nc1=f_pr
The use of AWS is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in a reliable presentation of our website. If consent has been requested, processing will take place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be revoked at any time.
The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. Further information is available from the provider at the following link:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5776
Data Processing Agreement
We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) with the above-mentioned service provider. This is a data protection–required contract that ensures AWS processes the personal data of our website visitors only according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.
Cloudflare
We use services provided by Cloudflare, Inc., 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA (hereinafter “Cloudflare”) to improve the security and delivery speed of our website. All data transferred to or from our website passes through Cloudflare’s global network and is cached and analyzed to enhance performance and protect against attacks.
Cloudflare may process data as part of its service. The use of Cloudflare is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR; we have a legitimate interest in the secure and efficient operation of our online offering.
Data transfer to the USA is based on the EU Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. Further details can be found here:
https://www.cloudflare.com/cloudflare_customer_SCCs/
Cloudflare is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF). For more information, see:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/Cloudflare
For more information, please see Cloudflare’s privacy policy:
https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/
Google Cloud CDN
We use Google Cloud CDN, a content delivery network service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.
The use of Google Cloud CDN helps to distribute our website content globally for faster loading times and improved stability. When you access our website, your requests may be routed through Google servers. This may result in the processing of your IP address and other technical data by Google.
The use of Google Cloud CDN is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest). Data transfer to the USA is based on the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
Further information:
https://cloud.google.com/cdn/docs/security
Google’s privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
Google is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF):
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780
Amazon CloudFront
We use Amazon CloudFront, a CDN service from Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, 38 Avenue John F. Kennedy, 1855 Luxembourg, to improve the delivery of our website content.
When you visit our website, your data (e.g., IP address, browser information) may be processed on CloudFront servers and transferred to the USA. The use of CloudFront is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Data transfer to the USA is based on EU Standard Contractual Clauses and DPF.
More information:
https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/
DPF: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5776
External Hosting
This website is externally hosted. The personal data collected on this website is stored on the servers of our external hosting provider. This may include, in particular, IP addresses, contact requests, meta and communication data, contract data, contact details, names, website accesses, and other data generated via a website.
External hosting is provided for the purpose of fulfilling contracts with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast, and efficient provision of our online offering by a professional provider (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be revoked at any time.
Our hosting provider will only process your data to the extent necessary to fulfill its performance obligations and follow our instructions with regard to this data.
We use the following hosting provider:
Hostinger International Ltd.
61 Lordou Vironos Street,
6023 Larnaca,
Cyprus
Server location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Website: https://www.hostinger.com
3. General Information and Mandatory Disclosures
Data Protection
The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.
When you use this website, various personal data are collected. Personal data are data with which you can be personally identified. This privacy policy explains which data we collect and what we use them for. It also explains how and for what purpose this happens.
Please note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating by e-mail) may have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.
Information about the Responsible Party
The responsible party for data processing on this website is:
MonsTec GmbH
Erlkamer Str. 30a,
83607 Holzkirchen
Germany
Represented by:
Dr. Jörg Heinze (Managing Director)
Further Information: Imprint
Mail: 
Chat: https://www.produck.de/chat.html?cid=2127
The responsible party is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).
Storage Duration
Unless a more specific storage period is specified within this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., retention periods under tax or commercial law); in the latter case, deletion takes place after these reasons cease to apply.
General Information on the Legal Basis for Data Processing on This Website
If you have consented to data processing, we process your personal data on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR or Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR if special categories of data according to Art. 9(1) GDPR are processed. In the case of express consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing is also carried out on the basis of Art. 49(1)(a) GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or access to information on your device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), data processing is also based on § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be revoked at any time. If your data are necessary for the performance of a contract or for carrying out pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if required to fulfill a legal obligation on the basis of Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR. Data processing may also be based on our legitimate interest according to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The relevant legal basis in each individual case is explained in the following paragraphs of this privacy policy.
Note on Data Transfer to Countries Not Considered Secure Under Data Protection Law and Transfer to US Companies Not Certified Under the DPF
We use, among other things, tools from companies based in countries that are not considered secure from a data protection perspective, as well as US tools whose providers are not certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF). When these tools are active, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in these countries. Please note that a level of data protection comparable to that of the EU cannot be guaranteed in countries considered insecure under data protection law.
Please note that the USA, as a secure third country, generally has a data protection level comparable to that of the EU. Data transfers to the USA are permitted if the recipient is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF) or has suitable additional safeguards. Information on transfers to third countries, including the data recipients, can be found in this privacy policy.
Recipients of Personal Data
As part of our business operations, we work with various external parties. In some cases, the transfer of personal data to these external parties is required. We only share personal data with external parties if this is necessary for the fulfillment of a contract, if we are legally obliged to do so (e.g., disclosure of data to tax authorities), if we have a legitimate interest according to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR in the transfer, or if another legal basis permits the transfer of data. When using processors, we only transfer our customers’ personal data on the basis of a valid data processing agreement. In the case of joint processing, a joint processing agreement is concluded.
Withdrawal of Your Consent to Data Processing
Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You may revoke consent you have already given at any time. The lawfulness of data processing carried out up to the point of withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.
Right to Object to Data Collection in Special Cases and to Direct Advertising (Art. 21 GDPR)
IF DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6(1)(E) OR (F) GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME, ON GROUNDS RELATING TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. THE RESPECTIVE LEGAL BASIS ON WHICH PROCESSING IS BASED CAN BE FOUND IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY. IF YOU OBJECT, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR AFFECTED PERSONAL DATA UNLESS WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING WHICH OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS OR THE PROCESSING SERVES THE ASSERTION, EXERCISE, OR DEFENSE OF LEGAL CLAIMS (OBJECTION UNDER ART. 21(1) GDPR).
IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECT ADVERTISING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR SUCH ADVERTISING PURPOSES; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING INSOFAR AS IT IS RELATED TO SUCH DIRECT ADVERTISING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL THEN NO LONGER BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECT ADVERTISING (OBJECTION UNDER ART. 21(2) GDPR).
Right to Lodge a Complaint with the Competent Supervisory Authority
In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged infringement. The right to lodge a complaint is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.
Right to Data Portability
You have the right to receive data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract, in a commonly used, machine-readable format, or to have it transmitted to a third party. If you request the direct transfer of data to another controller, this will only be done to the extent that it is technically feasible.
Right of Access, Rectification, and Erasure
Within the scope of applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to obtain free information about your stored personal data, their origin and recipients, and the purpose of data processing and, if necessary, a right to rectification or erasure of this data. For this purpose and for further questions on the subject of personal data, you may contact us at any time.
Right to Restriction of Processing
You have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data. You may contact us at any time to do so. The right to restriction of processing applies in the following cases:
- If you contest the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we usually need time to verify this. For the duration of the verification, you have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data.
- If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you may request the restriction of data processing instead of erasure.
- If we no longer need your personal data, but you require them for the exercise, defense, or establishment of legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of processing instead of erasure.
- If you have lodged an objection under Art. 21(1) GDPR, a balance must be struck between your interests and ours. As long as it has not yet been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data.
If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, these data – apart from their storage – may only be processed with your consent or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.
SSL or TLS Encryption
For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries you send to us as the site operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser’s address bar changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock symbol in your browser bar.
When SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.
Objection to Promotional Emails
We hereby object to the use of contact data published within the scope of the legal notice obligation for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and information materials. The operators of these pages expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of unsolicited advertising information being sent, for example, via spam emails.
4. Data Collection on This Website
Cookies
Our websites use so-called “cookies.” Cookies are small data packets that do not cause any damage to your device. They are either stored temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (persistent cookies) on your device. Session cookies are automatically deleted after your visit ends. Persistent cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them yourself or your web browser automatically deletes them.
Cookies can be set by us (first-party cookies) or by third-party companies (third-party cookies). Third-party cookies enable the integration of certain services provided by third parties within websites (e.g., cookies for handling payment services).
Cookies have various functions. Many cookies are technically necessary since certain website functions would not work without them (e.g., the shopping cart function or displaying videos). Other cookies may be used to analyze user behavior or for advertising purposes.
Cookies necessary for carrying out electronic communication, providing certain functions you desire (e.g., shopping cart function), or optimizing the website (e.g., cookies for measuring web audience) are stored based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the storage of necessary cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. Where consent to store cookies and comparable recognition technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of this consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG); consent can be withdrawn at any time.
You can configure your browser to inform you about the setting of cookies, to allow cookies only in individual cases, to exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general, and to activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be limited.
You can find out which cookies and services are used on this website in this privacy policy.
Contact Form
If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact data you provide there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We do not share this data without your consent.
The processing of these data is based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in effectively processing the inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) if this was requested; consent may be revoked at any time.
The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you ask us to delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for the data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been fully processed). Mandatory statutory provisions—especially retention periods—remain unaffected.
Inquiry by Email, Telephone, or Fax
If you contact us by email, telephone, or fax, your inquiry, including all personal data resulting from it (name, inquiry), will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of handling your request. We do not share this data without your consent.
The processing of these data is based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR if your request is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary for the performance of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of the inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) if this was requested; consent may be withdrawn at any time.
The data you send to us via contact inquiries will remain with us until you request deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been fully processed). Mandatory statutory provisions—especially statutory retention periods—remain unaffected.
Comment Function on This Website
When using the comment function on this website, in addition to your comment, information about the time the comment was created, your email address, and, if you are not posting anonymously, the username you have chosen will be stored.
Storage of IP Address
Our comment function stores the IP addresses of users who post comments. Since we do not check comments on this website before they are published, we need this data in order to take action against the author in case of legal violations such as insults or propaganda.
Subscribing to Comments
As a user of the site, you can subscribe to comments after registering. You will receive a confirmation email to check whether you are the owner of the specified email address. You can unsubscribe from this function at any time via a link in the info emails. The data entered for subscribing to comments will be deleted in this case; if you have submitted this data to us for other purposes and elsewhere (e.g., newsletter subscription), it will remain with us.
Storage Duration of Comments
Comments and the associated data are stored and remain on this website until the commented content has been completely deleted or the comments must be deleted for legal reasons (e.g., offensive comments).
Legal Basis
The storage of comments is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may revoke your consent at any time. A simple notification by email to us is sufficient. The lawfulness of data processing operations carried out up to the point of revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.
Gravatar
We have integrated Gravatar on this website. The provider is Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA (hereinafter “Gravatar”).
Gravatar is a tool that enables the provision of personal images (avatars) for users of our website. These avatars serve as visual representations of users and are displayed wherever a user interacts with the platform (e.g., in forums or chats). When a user interacts with the platform, their avatar is displayed based on the selection associated with their email address. This gives users’ online presence a personal touch and facilitates identification, as the chosen image is associated with the user when they are active online.
If you comment or interact on our website and Gravatar is enabled, the hash of the email address of the user utilizing Gravatar (used as an ID) is processed by Gravatar.
The use of Gravatar is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in an appealing presentation of its forums. If corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
Further details can be found in the provider’s privacy policy:
https://automattic.com/privacy/
The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. Further information is available from the provider at the following link:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/4709
Data Processing Agreement
We have concluded a data processing agreement (DPA) for the use of the above-mentioned service. This is a data protection–required contract that ensures this service processes the personal data of our website visitors only according to our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.
5. Social Media
Social Media Elements with Shariff
This website uses elements from social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, XING, LinkedIn, Tumblr). You can generally recognize the social media elements by the respective social media logos.
To ensure data protection on this website, we use these elements only in combination with the so-called « Shariff » solution. This application prevents the social media elements integrated on this website from transferring your personal data to the respective provider when you first enter the site.
A direct connection to the provider’s server is only established when you activate the respective social media element by clicking the corresponding button (consent). As soon as you activate the social media element, the respective provider receives the information that you have visited this website with your IP address. If you are simultaneously logged in to your social media account (e.g., Facebook), the provider can assign your visit to your user account.
Activating the plugin constitutes consent within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. You can withdraw this consent at any time with effect for the future.
The use of this service takes place to obtain the legally required consents for the use of certain technologies. The legal basis for this is Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR.
Elements of the social network Facebook are integrated on this website. The provider is Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland. According to Facebook, the collected data is also transferred to the USA and other third countries.
An overview of Facebook social media elements can be found here:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/?locale=en_US
When the social media element is active, a direct connection is established between your device and the Facebook server. As a result, Facebook receives the information that you have visited this website with your IP address. If you click the Facebook « Like » button while logged into your Facebook account, you can link the contents of this website to your Facebook profile. This allows Facebook to associate your visit to this website with your user account. Please note that as the website operator, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or its use by Facebook. For more information, see Facebook’s privacy policy:
https://en-gb.facebook.com/privacy/explanation
The use of this service is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be revoked at any time.
If, with the help of the tool described here, personal data is collected on our website and forwarded to Facebook, we and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, are jointly responsible for this data processing (Art. 26 GDPR). The joint responsibility is limited solely to the collection of data and its transfer to Facebook. Any processing by Facebook after forwarding is not part of the joint responsibility. The obligations incumbent on us jointly have been set out in a joint processing agreement. The wording of the agreement can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum
According to this agreement, we are responsible for providing data protection information when using the Facebook tool and for the secure implementation of the tool on our website in accordance with data protection law. Facebook is responsible for the data security of the Facebook products. Data subject rights (e.g., requests for information) regarding data processed by Facebook can be asserted directly with Facebook. If you assert the data subject rights with us, we are obliged to forward them to Facebook.
Data transfer to the USA is based on the EU Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.
Details can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum
https://en-gb.facebook.com/help/566994660333381
https://www.facebook.com/policy.php
The company is certified under the « EU-US Data Privacy Framework » (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. Further information is available from the provider at the following link:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/4452
X (formerly Twitter)
This website integrates features of the service X (formerly Twitter). These features are provided by the parent company X Corp., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. For the data processing of individuals residing outside the USA, the responsible entity is Twitter International Unlimited Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 AX07, Ireland.
When the social media element is activated, a direct connection is established between your device and the X server. As a result, X (formerly Twitter) receives information that you have visited this website. By using X (formerly Twitter) and the “Re-Tweet” or “Repost” function, the websites you visit are linked to your X (formerly Twitter) account and disclosed to other users. Please note that as the provider of these pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or its use by X (formerly Twitter). Further information can be found in the X (formerly Twitter) privacy policy at:
https://x.com/privacy
The use of this service is based on your consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
Data transfer to the USA is based on the EU Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. Details can be found here:
https://gdpr.x.com/en/controller-to-controller-transfers.html
You can change your privacy settings for X (formerly Twitter) in your account settings at:
https://x.com/settings/account
The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. Further information is available from the provider at the following link:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/2710
This website integrates features of the Instagram service. These features are provided by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland.
When the social media element is activated, a direct connection is established between your device and the Instagram server. As a result, Instagram receives information that you have visited this website.
If you are logged into your Instagram account, you can link the contents of this website to your Instagram profile by clicking the Instagram button. This allows Instagram to associate your visit to this website with your user account. Please note that as the provider of these pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the transmitted data or its use by Instagram.
The use of this service is based on your consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
If, with the help of the tool described here, personal data is collected on our website and forwarded to Facebook or Instagram, we and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, are jointly responsible for this data processing (Art. 26 GDPR). The joint responsibility is limited solely to the collection of data and its transfer to Facebook or Instagram. Any processing by Facebook or Instagram after forwarding is not part of the joint responsibility. The obligations we jointly bear are set out in a joint processing agreement. The wording of the agreement can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum
According to this agreement, we are responsible for providing data protection information when using the Facebook or Instagram tool and for the secure implementation of the tool on our website in accordance with data protection law. Facebook is responsible for the data security of Facebook or Instagram products. Data subject rights (e.g., requests for information) regarding data processed by Facebook or Instagram can be asserted directly with Facebook. If you assert your data subject rights with us, we are obliged to forward them to Facebook.
Data transfer to the USA is based on the EU Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. Details can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum
https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/
https://en-gb.facebook.com/help/566994660333381
Further information can be found in Instagram’s privacy policy:
https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/
The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. Further information is available from the provider at the following link:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/4452
Tumblr
This website uses buttons and other elements from the Tumblr service. The provider is Tumblr, Inc., 35 East 21st St, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA.
When the social media element is activated, a direct connection is established between your device and the Tumblr server. As a result, Tumblr receives information that you have visited this website.
The Tumblr buttons allow you to share a post or page on Tumblr or to follow the provider on Tumblr. When you access one of our websites with a Tumblr button, your browser establishes a direct connection to Tumblr’s servers. We have no influence on the scope of data that Tumblr collects and transmits using this plugin. According to the current state of knowledge, the user’s IP address and the URL of the respective website are transmitted.
The use of this service is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
Further information can be found in Tumblr’s privacy policy:
https://www.tumblr.com/privacy/en
On this website, we use elements of the social network Pinterest, operated by Pinterest Europe Ltd., Palmerston House, 2nd Floor, Fenian Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
When you access a page containing such an element, your browser establishes a direct connection to the Pinterest servers. This social media element transmits log data to the Pinterest server in the USA. These log data may include your IP address, the address of the websites you visit that also contain Pinterest functions, type and settings of your browser, date and time of the request, your usage of Pinterest, and cookies.
The use of this service is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
For more information about the purpose, scope, further processing, and use of the data by Pinterest, as well as your rights in this regard and options for protecting your privacy, please refer to Pinterest’s privacy policy:
https://policy.pinterest.com/en/privacy-policy
We may integrate features and content from the LinkedIn service, operated by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, within our online offering. These may include content such as images, videos, or text, as well as buttons that allow users to express their appreciation, subscribe to authors, or follow our posts.
If users are members of the LinkedIn platform, LinkedIn can associate access to the above content and functions with the users’ profiles.
When you interact with LinkedIn elements, a connection to LinkedIn’s servers is established. If you are logged into your LinkedIn account, LinkedIn may associate your visit with your user account. Data may also be transferred to the USA. LinkedIn is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), providing a guarantee of compliance with European data protection standards:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5455
You can find further information in LinkedIn’s privacy policy:
https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
Opt-out: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out
The use of LinkedIn elements is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG). Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
We may integrate features and content from the XING service, operated by XING SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, within our online offering. These may include content such as images, videos, or text, as well as buttons that allow users to express their appreciation of the content, subscribe to the authors, or follow our contributions.
If users are members of the XING platform, XING can associate access to the above content and functions with the users’ profiles.
To our knowledge, XING does not store personal data when you access these functions unless you are logged into your XING account; in particular, XING does not store IP addresses or analyze usage behavior.
For more information, please see the XING privacy policy:
https://privacy.xing.com/en/privacy-policy
The use of XING elements is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG). Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
6. Analytics Tools and Advertising
WP Statistics
This website uses the analytics tool WP Statistics to statistically analyze visitor access. The provider is Veronalabs, Tatari 64, 10134, Tallinn, Estonia (https://veronalabs.com).
With WP Statistics, we can analyze the usage of our website. WP Statistics collects, among other things, log files (IP address, referrer, browser used, user origin, search engine used) and actions that website visitors perform on the site (e.g., clicks and views).
The data collected with WP Statistics is stored exclusively on our own server.
The use of this analytics tool is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in the anonymized analysis of user behavior to optimize both our web offering and our advertising. If consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
IP Anonymization
We use WP Statistics with anonymized IP addresses. Your IP address is truncated so that it can no longer be directly assigned to you.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, to analyze and optimize the use and economic operation of our website.
Google Analytics uses cookies to analyze your use of our website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of our online offering (including your IP address, which is anonymized before storage) is usually transmitted to Google servers, potentially in the USA, and stored there. Data transfers to the USA are based on the EU Standard Contractual Clauses and the Data Privacy Framework (DPF):
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780
Google processes this information on our behalf to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activities, and to provide us with other services related to website and internet usage. Pseudonymous user profiles can be created from the processed data.
We use Google Analytics only with IP anonymization enabled. This means your IP address is truncated by Google within the member states of the European Union or other states party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. The IP address transmitted by your browser will not be merged with other data from Google.
The use of Google Analytics is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG). You can withdraw your consent at any time via our cookie settings.
You may prevent the storage of cookies by setting your browser software accordingly. In addition, you can prevent the collection of data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) by Google and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at:
http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en
For more information about data usage by Google, settings, and opt-out options, please refer to Google’s privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads
and the settings for displaying Google ads:
https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated
Retention:
User and event-level data associated with cookies, user identifiers (e.g., User ID), and advertising IDs stored by Google Analytics are retained for 14 months and then deleted or anonymized.
Google Tag Manager
We use Google Tag Manager (Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland) to manage website tags. Google Tag Manager does not itself collect personal data but enables the triggering of other tags that may collect data.
For more information:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
The use of Google Tag Manager is based on our legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) for efficient website management.
Google Conversion Tracking
This website uses Google Conversion Tracking to analyze the effectiveness of advertisements. When you click on an ad, a cookie is set. The information collected is used to generate conversion statistics. No personal identification is made.
The use of Google Conversion Tracking is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG). Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
Google AdSense
We use Google AdSense, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, for displaying advertisements on our website.
Google AdSense with Personalized Ads
If you consent, we use AdSense to display personalized ads. For this purpose, Google creates user profiles based on the websites or apps you have visited and infers your interests. Advertisers use this information to tailor campaigns to these interests, benefiting both users and advertisers. For Google, ads are considered personalized if collected or known data determines or influences ad selection. This may include previous searches, activities, website visits, app usage, demographic information, and location data. Specifically, this encompasses demographic targeting, interest category targeting, remarketing, customer match lists, and audience lists uploaded in DoubleClick Bid Manager or Campaign Manager.
To enable personalized advertising, usage data such as clicks on ads and your IP address are processed, with the IP address truncated for pseudonymization. User data is not merged with other Google data.
The use of Google AdSense for personalized ads is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG). Consent can be withdrawn at any time via our cookie settings.
Google AdSense with Non-Personalized Ads
If you do not consent to personalized advertising, we display only non-personalized ads. These ads are not based on user profiles or prior online behavior. Instead, they are targeted using contextual information, such as your approximate geographic location (at the city level), current website or app content, and recent search terms. Google does not use demographic targeting or user list targeting for non-personalized ads. The IP address is truncated for pseudonymization, and no user profiling takes place.
Legal Basis and Data Transfer
Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to process the above-mentioned data. Data may be transferred to Google servers in the USA; this transfer is based on the EU Standard Contractual Clauses and the Data Privacy Framework (DPF):
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780
Further Information and Opt-Out
You can find more information about Google’s data usage, settings, and opt-out options in Google’s privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads
and in Google’s ad settings:
https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated
7. Newsletter
Newsletter Data
If you wish to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require your email address and information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided and agree to receive the newsletter. No further data is collected, or only on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively for sending the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.
The processing of the data entered in the newsletter registration form is based solely on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may revoke your consent to the storage of your data, your email address, and its use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example, via the « unsubscribe » link in the newsletter. The lawfulness of data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.
The data you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us or the newsletter service provider until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted from the newsletter distribution list after you unsubscribe or after the purpose has been fulfilled. We reserve the right to delete or block email addresses from our newsletter distribution list at our own discretion within the scope of our legitimate interest under Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Data stored for other purposes with us remains unaffected.
After you unsubscribe from the newsletter distribution list, your email address may be stored by us or the newsletter service provider in a blacklist if necessary to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist will only be used for this purpose and will not be merged with other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements for newsletter dispatch (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Storage in the blacklist is not limited in time. You can object to storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.
8. Plugins and Tools
YouTube
This website integrates videos from the YouTube website. The operator of the site is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.
When you visit one of our pages with embedded YouTube videos, a connection is established to the YouTube servers. The YouTube server is informed which of our pages you have visited.
YouTube may also store various cookies on your device or use comparable recognition technologies (e.g., device fingerprinting). In this way, YouTube can obtain information about visitors to this website. This information is used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve user-friendliness, and prevent fraud attempts. The collected data is also processed in the Google advertising network.
If you are logged into your YouTube account, you enable YouTube to assign your browsing behavior directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.
YouTube is used in the interest of providing an appealing presentation of our online offerings. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. If consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
For more information on how user data is handled, see YouTube’s privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the USA intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the USA. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. Further information is available from the provider at the following link:
https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780
Google Fonts (local hosting)
This site uses so-called Google Fonts, provided by Google, for the uniform display of fonts. The Google Fonts are installed locally. There is no connection to Google servers.
For more information on Google Fonts, see
https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq
and Google’s privacy policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
Font Awesome (local hosting)
This site uses Font Awesome for the uniform display of fonts. Font Awesome is installed locally. There is no connection to servers of Fonticons, Inc.
For more information about Font Awesome, please see the Font Awesome privacy policy:
https://fontawesome.com/privacy
Real Cookie Banner
We use the consent management tool “Real Cookie Banner” (devowl.io GmbH, Tannet 12, 94539 Grafling, Germany) to manage the cookies and similar technologies (tracking pixels, web beacons, etc.) used on our website and to document the associated consents.
Details on the functionality of “Real Cookie Banner” can be found at:
https://devowl.io/en/rcb/data-processing/
The legal bases for the processing of personal data in this context are Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR and Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the management of cookies and similar technologies and the documentation of the required consents.
The provision of your personal data is neither legally nor contractually required, nor necessary for the conclusion of a contract. You are not obliged to provide your personal data. However, if you do not provide your personal data, we cannot manage your consents.
When you access our website, a cookie will be set to store your given or withdrawn consent. You can change your preferences regarding cookies and similar technologies at any time via the Real Cookie Banner.
Further information can be found in the privacy policy of Real Cookie Banner:
https://devowl.io/en/rcb/data-processing/
VG Wort Counting Pixel (Scalable Central Measurement System – SZM, INFOnline)
We use the “Scalable Central Measurement Method” (SZM) provided by INFOnline GmbH (Brühler Str. 9, D-53119 Bonn, Germany) to determine statistical key metrics and the probability that texts have been copied. Anonymous measurement values are collected. To recognize computer systems, the access counting uses either a session cookie or a signature created from various automatically transmitted information from your browser. IP addresses are processed only in anonymized form. This method was developed with data protection in mind. The sole purpose of the method is to determine the probability that individual texts are copied. At no point are individual users identified. Your identity always remains protected, and you will not receive any advertising via this system.
Many of our pages are equipped with JavaScript calls through which we report page views to Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort (VG Wort), Untere Weidenstraße 5, 81543 Munich, Germany. This enables our authors to participate in VG Wort distributions, which ensure statutory remuneration for the use of copyrighted works in accordance with § 53 UrhG (German Copyright Act).
In this process, usage data and metadata of users are processed, whereby IP addresses are truncated and the measurement procedures are pseudonymous. The truncated IP address is stored for a maximum of 60 days. Usage data in connection with a pseudonymous identifier (“identifier”) are stored for a maximum of 6 months.
Users have an opt-out option to object to this data collection for the purposes mentioned above:
https://optout.ioam.de
Further information can be found in the INFOnline privacy policy:
https://www.infonline.de/datenschutz/benutzer
The use of the VG Wort counting pixel is based on our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR in fair copyright remuneration for our authors and statistical analysis.
Mailchimp
We use Mailchimp (The Rocket Science Group LLC, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA) for newsletter distribution. The data provided for newsletter signup is stored on Mailchimp servers in the USA. Mailchimp is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.
Processing is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
More information:
https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/
DPF: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/2442
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on This Website
We may use AI-based services to optimize content creation, provide chat or customer support, or analyze website usage. Personal data such as user input, interaction data, or usage statistics may be processed by AI systems. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest) or, if consent is requested, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.
Any data processing via AI tools is performed according to applicable data protection requirements. If third-party AI providers are used, data transfers to third countries may occur; in such cases, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or DPF certification where possible.
If you have any concerns about AI-based processing, you can contact us at any time.
9. Affiliate Partner Programs
Our online offering participates in affiliate partner programs. These programs are implemented based on our legitimate interest (i.e., our interest in analyzing, optimizing, and economically operating our online offering) within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, and industry-standard tracking measures are used insofar as these are necessary for the operation of the affiliate system. We inform users below about the technical background.
How Affiliate Tracking Works
Services offered by our contractual partners may also be advertised and linked on other websites (so-called affiliate links or after-buy systems, for example, when third-party offers or links are presented after a contract has been concluded). The operators of the respective websites receive a commission if users follow affiliate links and subsequently make use of the offers.
In summary, it is necessary for our online offering that we are able to track whether users who are interested in affiliate links and/or the offers available with us subsequently take advantage of the offers at the instigation of the affiliate links or our online platform. For this purpose, the affiliate links and our offers are supplemented with certain values that can be a part of the link or set elsewhere, e.g., in a cookie. These values may include, in particular, the originating website (referrer), time, an online identifier for the website operator where the affiliate link was placed, an online identifier for the offer in question, an online identifier for the user, as well as tracking-specific values such as ad media ID, partner ID, and categorizations.
The online identifiers we use for users are pseudonymous values. This means the identifiers themselves do not contain personal data such as names or email addresses. They only help us determine whether the same user who clicked an affiliate link or expressed interest in an offer on our online platform subsequently took advantage of the offer, such as by entering into a contract with the provider. However, the online identifier is considered personal data to the extent that the partner company and/or we have access to the online identifier together with other user data. Only in this way can the partner company notify us as to whether a user has taken advantage of an offer, and for example, enable us to process a commission or bonus payment.
Amazon Affiliate Program
On the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in the economic operation of our online offering within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), we participate in the Amazon EU affiliate program. This program is designed to provide a medium for websites by means of which advertising fees can be earned through the placement of advertisements and links to Amazon.de (so-called affiliate system). Amazon uses cookies to track the origin of orders. Among other things, Amazon can recognize that you have clicked the partner link on this website and subsequently purchased a product on Amazon.
Further information on how Amazon uses data and how you can object can be found in the company’s privacy policy:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201909010
AWIN Affiliate Program
We participate in the affiliate program of AWIN AG, Eichhornstraße 3, 10785 Berlin, Germany, for economic operation of our online offering (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). This program enables websites to earn compensation through the placement of advertisements and links to AWIN. AWIN uses cookies to track the origin of contracts. Among other things, AWIN can recognize that you have clicked the partner link on this website and subsequently concluded a contract via AWIN.
Further information about AWIN’s data use and opt-out options can be found in the company’s privacy policy:
https://www.awin.com/us/legal/privacy-policy
General Information
The use of affiliate partner programs is based on our legitimate interest in the economic operation and analysis of our online offering (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Where required by law, your consent will be obtained before cookies or similar tracking technologies are set (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, § 25(1) TDDDG). Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
Users can find details about each partner in this privacy policy or upon request.
